New Jersey Girls Basketball: Neptune-Teaneck rewind

Sorry, it took a few days to get this together but better late than never.

I thought Saturday night's tilt between No. 1 Neptune and No. 17 Teaneck at the New Year's Resolution in Paterson was an enlightening experience for both.

For Neptune, it was a valuable lesson in what comes with the territory when you are the Queens of the Hardwood. It offered insight to what it should expect for the balance of the season.

The reigning Tournament of Champions winner was serenaded by the pulsating beat of ``The Champ is Here'' as it made its way into the gym. Nothing staged, just a sharp DJ (wish I had their names. They did an excellent job all weekend keeping people into the event) with a great sense of timing.

Hey, I'm all for good theatre. And, that song was recyled at the end of the game as Neptune walked off a 68-56 victor.

It was what unfolded between entrance and departure that I thought was quite notable.

The Champ. It's nice to be on top. It's also a slippery slope up there. You're basically guaranteed an opponent's best everytime you step on the court because that's how juiced people get to knock you off.

Teaneck embodied every bit of that eager contender. It didn't back down. No sir. In fact, it challenged the Champ, playing at a breakneck pace that even a speedy Neptune squad wasn't quite acclimated to.

And, to a degree, understandably so. Hey, I'm not here to make excuse for anyone but I just have a sense Neptune is in catch-up mode right now. It lost the entire winter break week due to the blizzard and was unable to participate in the Mount St. Dominic Festival, where great games with North Hunterdon, Gill St. Bernard's and Piscataway awaited. Those would have been all the primer Neptune need to get into mid-season form.

None of that mattered to Teaneck. It almost subconsciously forced Neptune to play with haste. I know Neptune can play fast, but it's at its best when it sets the terms. I thought Teaneck did more of the dictating over the first half in that regard and I wasn't alone.

``I said don't get caught up in what they do,'' Neptune coach John Brown said of his intermission advice. ``They create chaos. They wanna get you in that type of situation and turn you over. They did a good job of that.''

Indeed. But, to me, even more surprising was how Teaneck's speed materialized in other aspects of the game. Rebecca Sparks always seemed a step quicker than everyone else retrieving a loose ball and Ariana Ijadoula was cleaning up offensive rebounds with quick bursts to the glass.

Factor in the torrid shooting streak of Jakelle King-Gilchrist, who struck for 19 of her 23 points in the first half, and you had the makings of a 34-26 halftime lead for Teaneck.

When Teaneck pushed its lead 38-26 on buckets from Sydni Lester and Sparks to open the third quarter, you saw almost everyone adjust in their seat, like they were bracing for something big, either an upset or a comeback.

It turned out to be the latter. There is another thing to being the Champ. If you have the title, it means you have a good idea of how to close. And, with veteran guards like Shakena Richardson and Syessence Davis leading the way, Neptune has no shortage of beacons to lead it out of the dark.

In a span of 6:42, Neptune not only managed to wipe out the deficit, it built a 50-45 lead heading into the fourth. Davis (17 points) triggered the rousing surge with a tough layup before Richardson, who collected 23 points, supplied 12 over the final 6:29 of the period. Nahja Carter came off the bench to infuse some energy with three rebounds and two steals while Morgan Thomson (11 points) dropped a 3-pointer and Chyna Golden completed a three-point play to close out the quarter and Neptune never looked back.

A great learning experiene for each team. Teaneck walked out of there knowing it can play with anyone (and as a Group 3, like Neptune, who's to say it won't earn a chance at a rematch in the state final) while Neptune absorbed some blows but, just like the Champ, had enough energy and poise to counter with a knockout blow.